Origins of a D-List Supervillain

Even D-list supervillains have to start somewhere. Follow Cal Stringel's misadventures as he climbs to the lowest levels of supervillany in the prequel to the smash hit, Confessions of a D-List Supervillain. Angry that he wouldn't be known as the engineer who made Ultraweapon's force blasters, Cal resigns to chase after a bigger, better paycheck. However, the Promethia Corporation isn't going to let him go that easily and sets out to make his life a living hell.

Morningwood: Everybody Loves Large Chests (Vol.1)

Large chests are said to encompass all manner of hopes and dreams. Men covet them. Women envy them. But one fact holds true - everyone wants to get their hands on some big ones. The same holds true for one intrepid adventurer - a strapping young lad by the name of Himmel. Armed with his grandfather's trusty longsword and the dream of being the strongest, he sets out on the journey of a lifetime!

Villains Rule: The Shadow Master, Book 1

Hi, how are you? Yes, I am talking to you, the reader of this book's description. Okay, I get it, fourth-wall breaking is overdone. Get over it. This book,
Villains Rule, is a fantasy action-comedy which you have to hear. Not because it redefines the genre, far from it. But rather for what it contains. A villain's tale. How often do you get to listen to a story where the villain is the protagonist? No, not an anti-hero, or a brooding monster, nor a hero thinly disguised as a villain. And not evil. If you want evil, take that nonsense to therapy.

Tamer: King of Dinosaurs

Victor Shelby ends each day wondering when his life is going to get better. His parents are dead, he struggles to pay rent, and his boss at the animal control shelter has him cleaning cages instead of working in the field. His dream of helping animals seems destined to end in a mop bucket. Then, Victor is abducted by aliens and deposited on a prehistoric world filled with hungry dinosaurs and beautiful alien women. He doesn’t know why he is here or what his purpose is, but he finds himself fighting for survival.

Galaxy's Edge

On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come. In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father's murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionniare-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounter hunter lies in wait.

Super Sales on Super Heroes

In a world full of super powers, Felix has a pretty crappy one. He has the ability to modify any item he owns. To upgrade anything. Sounds great on paper. Almost like a video game. Except that the amount of power it takes to actually change, modify, or upgrade anything worthwhile is beyond his abilities. With that in mind, Felix settled into a normal life. A normal job. His entire world changes when the city he lives in is taken over by a super villain. Becoming a country of one city. A city state.

Dungeon Born: Divine Dungeon Series, Book 1

For eons, conquering dungeons has been the most efficient way to become a strong adventurer. Although not everything is as straightforward as it seems. Several questions have always plagued the minds of those who enter these mythical places of power: why are there so many monsters? Where do the amazing weaponry and heavy gold coins come from? Why does the very air fill with life-giving energies? Cal has all of the answers to these age-old questions, for a very simple reason. He is a Dungeon Heart.

Star Child: Places of Power

Powers are determined by geographic birth locations, and only the rich and powerful are permitted access to prized sites. SC is the first person born in space. The punishment for unauthorized births is death. Out of fear, SC keeps his strange abilities as his darkest secret. But when his mother is kidnapped by an unknown organization, SC has no choice but to act.

Into the Abyss: Demons of Astlan Series, Book 1

It turns out, the "Demon Weed" actually is a gateway drug! Who knew? Tom Perkinje certainly didn't. He had never smoked anything in his life, but as the new kid in town trying to make friends, he foolishly let his new buddy Reggie talk him into trying a joint that he'd picked up from a new dealer. Before he knew it, Tom was having a seriously bad trip; a total out-of-body experience where the world had dissolved around him.

Second Hand Curses

When your fairy godmother threatens to enslave you with a curse - when a malevolent piper solves your rat problem but steals your children - when you seek revenge on the prince who turned you into a frog - who can you turn to in your hour of need? The band of scoundrels known far and wide as the Bastard Champions - the swashbuckling trio who travel a world of legend, seeking adventure and righting wrongs - as long as there's enough gold to be earned.

The Builder's Sword: The Legendary Builder, Book 1

Arthur Curie never expected to wind up in Hell. At least, not because he found an ancient sword in a pawnshop. To make matters worse, Hell isn't as he thought. It's a desolate wasteland under siege by an all-consuming void known as the Darkness.

Gamer for Life: Alpha World, Book 1

Seamus is facing life in prison without parole. While doing his time, he's given an option by the Department of Justice and the biggest virtual game maker around, Mindblown Entertainment. If he will help them test long-term immersion, he will get the chance to play the latest game from Mindblown - Alpha World. All he has to do is sign away his legal rights and sign an NDA.

Forging Hephaestus: Villains' Code Series, Book 1

Gifted with meta-human powers, Tori Rivas kept away from the limelight, preferring to work as a thief in the shadows. But when she's captured trying to rob a vault that belongs to a secret guild of villains, she's offered a hard choice: prove she has what it takes to join them or be eliminated. Apprenticed to one of the world's most powerful (and supposedly dead) villains, she is thrust into a strange world where the lines that divide superheroes and criminals are more complex than they seem.

Opening Moves: The Gam3, Book 1

The Earth is changing. The alien invasion brought social upheaval, advanced technology, and an armada of peacekeeping robots. But Alan, a college student pursuing a now-useless degree, cares little about all of this. He has only one thing on his mind: the Game. A fully immersive virtual reality, the Game appears to be a major part of the invading civilization. Alan can't wait to play, recklessly diving into the digital universe. Soon though, Alan realizes the Game is anything but simple, and the stakes are higher than he ever imagined.

Born a Queen: Lilith's Shadow, Book 1

For some, hopes, dreams, and ambitions come easily. Not so much for Lilith. Created by one of the most feared supervillains, Shadowmind, she has no past of her own and only a passing familiarity with the world as it is. With a death sentence hanging over her head due to who created her and how, she escaped into the world to see and explore, and perhaps find a meaning to her life. There, she encounters heroes and villains alike, including those who brought her maker to justice.

Dungeon Lord: The Wraith's Haunt: A LitRPG Series, Book 1

When Edward is swept into the world of Ivalis as a Dungeon Lord, the Dark's most powerful servant, he has no servitude in mind. He'll oppose the evil plans of the Dark god, Murmur, whatever it takes. Through only his wits and his guts to help him survive a weakened arrival, Edward must rise to power if he is to earn the right to live another day. But in the battle between Dark and Light, what can Edward choose if both sides are cruel, uncaring monsters?

The Weirdest Noob

Something quite odd is happening in Second World - the planet's foremost MMORPG. Something that's causing alliances to be broken, and friendships, forgotten. A worthless low-level mine becomes the stage of vicious battles, its burned ruins suddenly contested by the game's toughest clans. Every border is controlled, and every road in the province blocked off. The weak players and NPCs alike are subjected to non-stop violent raids courtesy of Eastern invaders. And the strong are scouring the virtual world for the culprit - the weirdest noob the game has ever seen.

Differently Morphous

A magical serial killer is on the loose, and gelatinous, otherworldly creatures are infesting the English countryside. Which is making life for the Ministry of Occultism difficult, because magic is supposed to be their best kept secret. After centuries in the shadows, the Ministry is forced to unmask, exposing the country's magical history - and magical citizens - to a brave new world of social media, government scrutiny, and public relations.

Awaken Online: Catharsis

Jason logs into
Awaken Online fed-up with reality. He's in desperate need of an escape, and this game is his ticket to finally feeling the type of power and freedom that are so sorely lacking in his real life.
Awaken Online is a brand new virtual reality game that just hit the market, promising an unprecedented level of immersion. Yet Jason quickly finds himself pushed down a path he didn't expect. In this game, he isn't the hero. There are no damsels to save. There are no bad guys to vanquish.

The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant

Timid, socially awkward, and plagued by self-esteem issues, Fred has never been the adventurous sort. One fateful night - different from the night he died, which was more inconvenient than fateful - Fred reconnects with an old friend at his high school reunion. This rekindled relationship sets off a chain of events thrusting him right into the chaos of the parahuman world.

Life Reset: A LitRPG Novel: New Era Online, Book 1

After being betrayed and cursed by an extremely rare spell, Oren, a powerful and influential player, finds himself as a first-level goblin! Without even a fraction of his previous power, he vows to pull through and have revenge on those who betrayed him. His thorough knowledge of the game's world and his unique ability to immerse himself entirely are his only advantages. But first, he must figure out how to survive long enough playing what is basically a low-level fodder monster!

The Rules of Supervillainy: The Supervillainy Saga Volume 1

Gary Karkofsky is an ordinary guy with an ordinary life living in an extraordinary world. Supervillains, heroes, and monsters are a common part of the world he inhabits. Yet, after the death of his hometown's resident superhero, he gains the amazing gift of the late champion's magical cloak. Deciding he prefers to be rich rather than good, Gary embarks on a career as Merciless: The Supervillain Without Mercy. But is he evil enough to be a villain in America's most crime-ridden city?

Tamer: King of Dinosaurs 2

A month has passed since Victor Shelby was abducted by aliens and put on a savage dinosaur world. In that time, he has learned how to survive, tamed dinosaurs, and won the love of three beautiful alien women. But when another dinosaur attack leaves them defenseless, Victor realizes that he’ll need to push his Tame ability to the limit and build not just a camp, but a fortress. Or they will all die.

We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

Publisher's Summary

Cal Stringel may be dead to the world at large, but a select few know that he's still alive and in control of the most powerful suit of battle armor ever created. He's part of a rogue superteam taking the world by storm and changing the dynamic for both heroes and villains alike. With change comes resistance, and those holding control and power are not ready to just hand it over without a fight.

For the former D-list supervillain, it's time to break out the spare synthmuscle, charge the massive railgun pistol, and bring the pain. With his new team, he thinks he can take on the world, but is Cal biting off more than he can chew? He must deal with sanctioned hero teams and power-mad bureaucrats on one side and the major supervillains of his world on the other.

As Cal and his allies ready themselves to face friend and foe, he will also have to deal with his relationship with Stacy Mitchell, also known as the Olympian, Aphrodite. Separated for more than a year, they've only just reunited and are faced with the prospect of being on opposite sides of the coming conflict. Can they find enough common ground between the secrets and half truths to sustain their fledgling relationship, or are they doomed like the last time to crash and burn?

This book comes across as a cheap and quick way to throw out something new in this series without actually putting anything NEW out. It's basically about an hour of "new story" in between lots of flashback to "Confessions", which while revealing and entertaining, doesn't really do much to move the series along.

After all of that, we're left with a cliffhanger obviously setting up for the book that actually moves this series along.

So, not a bad listen, just be prepared to hear the same tale from different angles.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

TW Ervin II

Ohio, USA

11/10/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"A Good Listen but Not Quite Equal to the Original"

Enjoyed this book, and the structure--'present' Cal and the 'present Cal' revisiting what happened in the past by story snippets told to Aphrodite.

Why not quite equal? I think it didn't break much new ground, which this being the third book (the 2nd being a prequel) seems like only dog paddling forward. Better than treading water.

Still, the story is quite entertaining and Cal Stringel is his usual entertaining self.

The narration is excellent in this series, as usual. I was disappointed with Wendy's voice change. I understand the reason, but she sounds more like a foul-mouthed man than anything else. That's my only disappointment in the area. Everything else is strong.

I'd recommend reading/listening to at least Confessions of a D-List Supervillain (the first novel) prior to giving this one a listen.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Aaron Jones

Austin, TX, USA

18/09/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Scattered"

The story was good, but hard to follow. It kept feeling like I missed a book. The story is just not very well put together. However, the plot was still interesting enough to make me want to read the sequel. Here's to hoping the sequel is easier to follow.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Alexander Smith

06/04/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Good performance of a lackluster sequel"

I loved the original Confessions of a D-List Supervillian, however this story feels... Lacking. The reading was once again excellent, but the story felt minimal, like it was simply a gap filler until the next book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Amechi

22/03/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great as usual"

What made the experience of listening to Secrets of a D-List Supervillain the most enjoyable?

The combination of a well thought out storyline and humorous dialogue. I like the creative engineering perspective as well.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yep

Any additional comments?

My only complaint is that the next book in the series can't come along quickly enough. Love these books!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

The Super-duper Amazing Silver Golem

USA

06/10/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Entertaining, but requires the previous book."

This book is is a direct sequel to "Confessions of a d-list super villain". In fact, it is so direct that if a person does not listen or read this book directly after the first book then the chances of losing track on anything that is happening with the story is likely.

Sure, it is funny and the characters are still fun to follow, but the book as a whole make a couple of small mistakes. First, the plot continues right were the last line of the first book leaves off and then starts having flashbacks to unexplained gaps in the first book making anyone who hadn't memorized the first book completely lost. Second, that even if you follow the jumps back and forth because of the flashbacks and current events the book simply ends at a point where events just start to head forward to a new story. The effect is so abrupt that it actually surprises the listener with something very much like a "to be continued".

Fun book but to truly enjoy it, a listener is practically required to listen to both books one after another in order.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

David

West Lafayette, IN, United States

22/06/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Villains are the best heroes"

What made the experience of listening to Secrets of a D-List Supervillain the most enjoyable?

The characters are great. I really like that Cal is kind of screwed up but still manages to be a hero, even if it is by accident.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hands down it is Cal. His character just resonates with me.

Have you listened to any of Jeffrey Kafer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I like Jeffrey's work though he does have problem doing "women's voices". His rendition of Wendy threw me out of the story at some points. Overall though I like him alot.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Sarcasm is a weapon if you know how to use it.

Any additional comments?

I think the suits name should be "The Ultra-CALvary". :-)

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

DabOfDarkness

Ojo Caliente, NM, United States

17/06/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Naked dinos on a ball field!"

The world thinks Cal Stringel, aka Mechani-Cal, is dead. However, Cal knows differently. He is in hiding, building back up his power and his alternate identity. He and a few select folks don’t agree with the status quo and they are going against it. On one side are the bureaucrats of the powerful nations of the world backing the sanctioned superheroes. On the other hand are the supervillains willing to sabotage Cal and his rogue buddies. Now toss in Cal’s personal life, such as his relationship with Stacy Mitchell (a sanctioned superhero known as Aphrodite) and his boss (Whirlwendy) who happens to be his baby momma, and you have quite the setting for reader entertainment.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and I believe this is the best yet. Bernheimer’s writing gets better with each new work. This tale is told mostly as a series of flashbacks. Stacy and Cal had a falling out and a year later they reconnect. So of course Stacy wants the inside story of Cal’s life for the past 12 months. As Cal and Stacy do mundane things like make dinner or shower together, Cal tells his tale. It’s a great story, something that is worthy of headlines if only the world at large knew the half of it. It was a great way to break up all the action with moments of reflection on the consequences.

Then there is the whole idea of Cal as a father. He reproduced! That happens to real people, so why not our D-List supervillain. Of course the dynamic between his baby momma (Whirlwendy) and him is a source of entertainment. Cal and a few others have joined forces and their default team captain is the mother of Cal’s baby. You can imagine my amusement.

At one point, Jim Bernheimer had a contest or such and several fans of the series had their names built into this book as minor characters. That includes me! Hooray! I was quite surprised and amused as to how my character ended up naked on a football field with several others.

OK, back to the plot and characters. Even though the story is told in flashbacks, so we know that Cal survived, there are still several twists and turns that made Cal’s story telling engrossing. Yep, I know he’s still intact and relatively healthy, but I wanted to see how he outwitted or outfought or outhid all these powers that he was up against. I was not disappointed. Then there is the character development. Cal started off the series by burning nearly all his bridges. In this book we see how that has shifted and he is actively trying to build relationships, and not just for the sex. He’s still an ass with a good heart, but he more self-aware and not just reacting to his raw emotions.

Overall, a great addition to the D-List Supervillain series.

The Narration: Jeffrey Kafer once again was awesome. I love his voice for Cal as it is always a little sarcastic. He has great voices for all the other characters and does a great job conveying emotion.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Farrell

Colorado Springs, CO, United States

12/06/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Hummmn"

Guess I should have started with the earlier books. Didn't realize this was the third in a series. Story was OK if a bit disjointed. No real ending, just a lead in to another book. Good enough that I'll probably go back and read the first two.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Edwin W.

10/07/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"More, More, More - Rise"

Sure the story has been has been told in a unique sequence, but who can't like the anti-hero or D-List Supervillian that is Cal. Even though the stories are told through a disjointed timeline, but you must read them in the order written to get the full enjoyment. This installment gives you everything you want and then some. More, more, more!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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